Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) causes acute spinal pain and paralysis in predisposed breeds and requires prompt diagnosis and either surgical or medical management to optimise recovery.
IVDD causes acute and severe pain in affected dogs. The sudden onset of spinal cord compression produces intense neuropathic pain, often causing dogs to cry out with movement or handling. In severe cases, complete paralysis follows within hours, removing all voluntary movement behind the lesion. Without surgery, irreversible spinal cord damage occurs as compression time lengthens. Emergency surgery at a specialist centre is expensive, time-sensitive, and not always accessible, meaning some dogs do not receive optimal care due to financial or geographic barriers. Post-operative pain management, rehabilitation physiotherapy, and in some cases long-term mobility assistance are required for complete recovery. Dogs treated promptly and appropriately can achieve excellent outcomes; those treated late or conservatively when surgery was indicated may have incomplete recovery and ongoing pain.